Friday, January 31. 2014

I went to an earthquake meeting and a religious revival broke out. Only the anti-oil and gas faction that attracted hundreds to 404 West Main Street Jan. 13 in Azle weren’t preaching the Goods News – proclaiming to shine a light on the evil political devils down in Austin who were clearly a plague on the good people assembled!
Like a revival, the well-oiled non-profit machine whipped up potential converts into frenzy.

Special speakers – why, one had driven all the way from Dallas, imagine negotiating that distance and down the Jacksboro Highway even… what a miracle! – descended on Azle like locusts.
They declared that they were just like the audience – sick of those elected representatives who thought of themselves as rulers who dashed regulation legislation 100 percent of the time while lining their pockets with oil and gas money.
The Bad News trumpeters bombarded the assembled with facts and figures as dizzying as any itinerant preacher strafing Bible verses among tented listeners.
Each speaker drew applause whenever denouncing Austin or local representatives. Like plants in a faith healer’s revival, the Bad News crew, had their own scattered throughout the building.
Whenever audience attention lagged, a lady near me would burst into applause at a mundane point, her ear-piercing clapping picked up by cohorts with the entire gathering eventually joining in. A guy in a gas mask stood around like one of those fellows hired to dress up in a gorilla suit and dance in front of a used car lot; Gas Mask Man’s hand-scrawled poster board demanded: “Ban Fracking Now.”
After the Bad News was drilled and reiterated into the buzzed crowd, it was time for the altar call. Who would answer? New disciples jumped up, professing their devotion into the microphone of a speaker who had bolted into the audience, then rushing to the stage – in full view of the Metroplex TV cameras, of course. The new followers were anointed as Azle’s “steering committee” and charged with continuing the spread of the Bad News.
All that remained was to pass the plate. The gathered were informed that a bus full of Azle residents, now clearly educated with the truth, would take Austin by storm! Heck, from what they were seeing from the stage, it might take two, five, or even 10 buses to hold everyone! The crowd went wild.
Now, a love offering (as we Southern Baptists say) was necessary, of course. While a generous “anonymous” donor was helping pay for the bus and even the Sierra Club was pitching in, it would be necessary to pay $15 each to secure a seat on the bus. “Wait, what?” said a few lukewarm members. But what a small price to pay to get your voice heard in that Central Texas political den of iniquity?
Soon, armed with paperwork and postcards to send to elected officials, the born-again believers walked out into the brisk New Year air, invigorated by the Bad News.
And, verily, the Bad News locusts flew away to alight… who knows where next?
Just maybe, however, the Azle faithful should pause and keep gathering some pertinent, local information from additional, reputable sources so they’ll be well armed with bona fide scientific facts and figures when they arrive at the Capitol.
Can I get an Amen?
Mark Campbell is Editor of the Azle News located in Azle, Texas about 25 miles NW of Fort Worth. Azle is near the epicenter of 32 mild earthquakes in the last two months. Permission was granted to reprint the above editorial from the Azle News January 13, 2014. The opinions expressed are solely of the author. Mark Campbell can be reached at (817) 270-3340 or markcampbell@azlenews.net.

Thursday, January 16. 2014

Over the past few years, it seems there has been a rapid growth in the number of so-called “studies” that concern one aspect of shale exploration and production or a related activity. As you well know, rarely it seems do these supposedly scientific studies come without an agenda, regularly being carried out by researchers or funded by parties that are either strongly for or against shale development, oil and gas, or fossil fuels in general. Therefore, not surprisingly many of these studies seem aimed more at generating headlines that advance the views and cause of a particular side rather than contribute anything of scientific value.

In the December 2013 issue of Newsline, the monthly publication of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, Charles Stenholm, a former Congressman from Texas (17th U.S. House District), who presently serves as a Government Relations Advisor for the Alliance, laments this proliferation of what has come to be sometimes called “junk science” in his Oil Patch on the Hill column. Stenholm’s point is worth repeating, and so I am offering it here. Stenholm writes:“A growing problem in our country is the use (or I should say misuse) of science. Research projects are being carried out, papers are being published, and even books and movies are being written and produced, which are not based on sound science, yet espouse certain beliefs that too often influence, even drive, legislative goals. Worse yet, such beliefs have manifested into executive fiat, in spite of the fact that the original research was neither peer reviewed, nor subjected to a cost benefit analysis. In short, personal philosophy is trumping use of legitimate, sound science.”

Stenholm goes on to lament this misuse of science to attack the oil and gas industry with the goal of influencing regulatory decisions.“However, allegations regarding the effects of hydraulic fracturing on water quality must be substantiated by scientific, peer reviewed research. The same can, and should, be said about water disposal wells and their possible effects on earthquakes. Fair and rational regulation must be based on science.”

Stenholm urges the oil and gas industry and its supporters to abide by the highest scientific standards and questions why the news media and policy makers don’t seem to be holding environmental activists to the same lofty standards.

Monday, December 30. 2013

"Operators may simply have to pay closer attention to where they decide to do business."

As a clearer picture emerges from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's recent ruling that struck down key provisions of the state's most comprehensive oil and gas legislation, the court's decision is likely to have repercussions for a decade or more, sources say, with the impact extending across the spectrum and touching more than just the pace of the industry's operations in the Marcellus Shale.

Tuesday, December 10. 2013

Data Rich. True Value. Texas Wide. You know about FlexMap's powerful map features and deep data content. FlexMap has changed.
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view, select, search ALL parcel, well and abstract data features and select and view pipeline features.

The new monthly subscription fee for FlexMap will insure that you continue to get access to a quality, inexpensive online mapping application. Thousands of people have been relying on FlexMap for fast and accurate Texas GIS data and we want to remain your choice for Texas' online oil & gas map. Subscribe now.

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All search results and general state-wide production data can be downloaded in a spreadsheet format. Yes, all of this is FREE! If you need more specific production data, shapefiles, well, pipeline or new permit data, please call us at 361-904-0071or email.

Tuesday, November 19. 2013

The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) sent out an Action Alert to all members on November 14th: this week, the U.S. House of Representatives plans to consider two pieces of legislation designed to address issues involving hydraulic fracturing.

The first bill, H.R. 2728 supports the current state-based regulatory structure for oil and natural gas development – including hydraulic fracturing. This is a common sense piece of legislation designed to thwart additional federal regulations currently being considered by the Department of the Interior.

The second bill in this package is H.R. 2850, which requires that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adhere to an objective and peer reviewed process when conducting a study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Additionally, the legislation requires that the identification of any possible impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water be accompanied by objective estimates of probability, uncertainty and consequences of each potentially identified impact.

Wednesday, November 13. 2013

This represents those horizontal wells identified in the 11/03/2013 thru 11/08/2013
period with new approved horizontal drilling permits in Texas. These
permits are not exclusive to unconventional resource formations but to
all formations. Only new horizontal drilling permits are shown and
exclude amended drilling permits. The following static map shows the
location of each of the new horizontal drilling permits.

Tuesday, October 29. 2013

Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined again in 2012, making it the fourth year of decline in the last five years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The overall carbon intensity of the U.S. economy declined by 6.5 percent in 2012, which is the largest drop since records have been kept (1949). Only 1952 and 1981 had declines that exceeded 5 percent.

"Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions" are emissions released at the location where energy is used to generate electricity, transportation and manufacturing.

The energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined 3.8 percent in 2012, EIA stated. "The 2012 downturn means that emissions are at their lowest level since 1994 and over 12 percent below the recent 2007 peak," according to EIA.

Additionally, emissions have declined five of the last seven years.

The decline in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions occurred when the U.S. economy grew in 2012. "Although GDP increased by 2.8 percent in 2012, energy consumption fell by 2.4 percent," EIA said. "With population growth of about 0.7 percent, per capita output rose by about 2 percent in 2012. The emissions decline was the largest in a year with positive growth in per capita output and the only year to show a decline where per capita output increased 2 percent or more."

How on Earth did energy-related carbon dioxide emissions decline when the U.S. had a population increase and economic growth?

Answer: natural gas and milder weather.

Because of the decline in the use of coal and increased use of natural gas, the carbon intensity of electricity generation was substantially reduced. Coal usage declined by 215 billion kWh while natural gas increased 211 billion kWh in 2012 when compared to 2011. Wind increased slightly by 19 billion kWh and hydro declined by 42 billion kWh.

A mild heating season helped dampen energy demand and related emissions in 2012, EIA said. "Half of the overall energy decline was from the residential sector, where a very warm first quarter of the year lowered energy demand and emissions," according to EIA.

Alex Mills is President and Chief of Staff of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. The opinions expressed are solely of the author. Alex Mills can be reached at alexm@texasalliance.org.

Texas is the number one producer and consumer of natural gas, but will
Texans ever embrace CNG as an energy source for their personal vehicles?
Ford recently announced that the best-selling vehicle in America, the
F-150 pickup, will now offer a compressed natural gas-ready version.
Ford's Fleet and Sustainability Manager Jon Coleman addressed the North
Texas businesses, energy partners, students and alumni at the TCU Energy
Institute on Tuesday, October 22nd. This is the inaugural address of a
new Kenneth W. Davis lecture series at TCU which focuses on innovative
energy solutions. READ THE REST OF THE STORY.

Friday, October 18. 2013

This represents those horizontal wells identified in the 10/06/2013 thru 10/12/2013 period with new approved horizontal drilling permits in Texas. These permits are not exclusive to unconventional resource formations but to all formations. Only new horizontal drilling permits are shown and exclude amended drilling permits. The following static map shows the location of each of the new horizontal drilling permits.If you desire to save the BELOW to your computer, just click on TX RRC New Horizontal Well Drilling Permits Oct 6 to Oct 12 2013 and the list will appear, as following, in Adobe Acrobat, of each new permit and by clicking on the blue lease, it will take you directly to the RRC complete set of documents on file for that newly approved Drilling Permit within the dates shown. (Courtesy of Powell Shale Digest)